Welcome to My Classroom.
Dear Parent/Guardian,
I am very happy to have your child in my sixth grade science class. We are going to have a wonderful year learning about the world all around us. Sixth grade science focuses on the physical and chemical sciences. We will start the year off by building scientists, critically thinking, and developing cohesive cooperative groups. This year the core material will also include the following:
Unit 2: Matter and Its Properties
Unit 3: Elements, Compounds, and Reactions
Unit 4: Forces and Motion
Unit 5: Properties of Energy
Unit 6: Work, Power, and Efficiency
Unit 7: Energy Use and Renewal
Behavior:
I believe that life-long success depends upon self-discipline. Therefore, I have a classroom plan that provides every student with the opportunity to manage his/her own behavior. Since your child deserves the best educational climate, this plan will be in effect at all times.
School Rules:
1. Be Reliable: Bring your materials to class every day
2. Be Responsible: Be prepared to do your best in class each day.
2. Be Respectful: Help your classmates, teacher, and yourself by respecting the rights of all students to learn.
School Consequences:
1. Verbal Warning 2. Behavioral document Sheet (class & minor) 3. Parent Contact 4. Administrative Referral
Class Rewards:
1. Verbal Praise 2. Class reward tickets 3. Parent Contact 4. School bucks
Grading:
Science grades will be based on class work, labs, projects, homework, quizzes and tests. Tests will be announced at least one week in advance. Tests, labs, homework and quiz dates are always located on the right hand side of the board.
Grading Scale:
A………………100-93
B………………..92-85
C………………..84-74
D………………..73-66
F…………………65-0
Make-up Work:
It is your child’s responsibility to collect any missed work. Encourage your child to collect all missed assignments from the missed work folder upon his/her return to school. Three days are allotted for turning in make-up work for excused absents. Please note that many labs cannot be made up and an alternative assignment will be issued. Please encourage attendance.
Homework:
Daily review of what was assigned in class is recommended even though written homework may not be given. I recommend studying notes and vocabulary at least 10-15 minutes each night. Unfinished class work automatically goes home to be finished and ready for the next day.
Binder:
Organization is imperative to academic success. The science binder is vital to academic success in science, because the information in the notebook is what should be studied and learned. Therefore, students are required to keep their binders organized at all times according to the teacher’s directions. All worksheets, labs, and notes will be kept in student’s binder, which will act as a textbook.
****Note: Tests will not be sent home but rather filed in the classroom. If you wish to review the test, please feel free to schedule an appointment.
Daily Oral Assignment (DOS):
The first five minutes of class will be taken up by doing the opening assignment from the board. The open assignment is a released practice question from the LEAP and will be kept in the student’s DOS folder. The DOS folder will be kept in the classroom at all times and will be checked every Friday for a grade of 25 pts.
Tutoring/Extra Help:
I will be available most Tuesday and Thursday, before and after school. This is a great time to ask specific questions, to review previous tests, or to obtain organizational help.
Parent/Teacher Communication:
Parental involvement is essential to each student’s success. Please make it a routine to read and check over homework assignments, and encourage daily review. Your child’s point sheet will remain in the first section of the science notebook at all times. He/she is responsible for correctly recording grades on the point sheet in ink and obtaining a parent’s signature. I will check for an accurate grade average and an up-to-date parent signature during the binder checks. Students will be awarded 5 bonus points if parent signatures and grades are current when checked. A progress report will be sent home in the fifth week of each nine-week period. If you would like to schedule a conference, please call the office and they will put you in touch with the counselor. My planning period is 3rd period
Feel free to contact me any time throughout the year.
Email: raknudson@caddo.k12.la.us
Office Phone: 221-1589 (Please include your child’s name, brief message, and a convenient time to call. )